Research

Plasmonic-Enhanced APDs

[research]

Nanopillar Optical Antenna Avalanche Detectors (NOAADs) are high sensitivity photodetectors based on a three-dimensional (3D) plasmonic grating self-aligned to a patterned III-V nanopillar array for both enhanced absorption and enhanced avalanche multiplication within the nanopillar. Traditional planar avalanche detectors are fundamentally limited by the lateral junction area being equivalent with the optical collection area. The requisite large collection thickness of absorbing material to maximize quantum efficiency results in deleterious effect to the dark current, response time and junction capacitance. NOAADs decouple the junction area from the optical collection by utilizing the Nanopillar Optical Antenna, which collects light from a larger area and focusses it within the nanopillar. To further enhance sensitivity avalanche gain is engineered within the nanopillar via a core-shell junction, which allows enhanced fields within the ionization path of carriers.